(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine for laterally displacing a track consisting of rails fastened to ties positioned in a common plane, which comprises a machine frame, undercarriages supporting the machine frame on the track rails, at least one vertically adjustable tamping head having reciprocable vibratory tools for tamping ballast under the ties, a vertically and laterally adjustable device for lifting and laterally displacing the track, which includes rail engaging roller tools, and a vertically and longitudinally adjustable device for orienting obliquely positioned ties to assume an orientation extending substantially perpendicularly to the track in the common plane, the tie orienting device including a tie engaging tool.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
German Pat. No. 893,956, delivered Oct. 22, 1953, discloses such a machine for laterally moving or displacing a track. A track displacing head comprising rail engaging roller tools is mounted on the machine frame intermediate two undercarriages supporting respective ends of the machine frame on the track rails. A vertically adjustable tamping head comprising reciprocable vibratory tamping tools for tamping ballast under the ties is mounted on each side of the track displacing head between the centrally positioned track displacing head and a respective undercarriage. Furthermore, a vertically and longitudinally adjustable tie engaging tong is mounted on the machine frame for orienting obliquely positioned ties to assume an orientation extending substantially perpendicularly to the track in the common plane.
Track displacing machines of this type have been used in open-pit mines to move tracks at irregular time intervals closer to the mining locations as the mining progresses. As the need arises and the mining location recedes from the track, the machine is continuously advanced along the track while the roller tools of the track displacing head engage the rails and the head is laterally displaced to move the track sideways about 30 cm to 50 cm, for example. Since the track bed and the resultant resistance to the lateral movement of the track are uneven and the lateral displacement of the track displacing head is only coarsely controlled, the track is merely pulled out of its original position and drawn into its new position without any control of the track level and line. Errors in the level of the laterally displaced track are somewhat compensated for by tamping ballast under the ties of the displaced track but since no leveling reference system is provided, this depends solely on the visual observation of the operator and his experience. It is impossible accurately to level and/or line the laterally displaced track so that the speed of transport vehicles running on this track must be held very low. The track is simply moved sideways from one right-of-way to an adjacent right-of-way by engaging the track rails with the roller tools of the track displacing head, manually adjusting the head transversely according to the desired extent of the track displacement, and then continuously advancing the machine along the track. No readjustment of the track displacing head is possible during the continuous advancement of the machine. After a desired track section has thus been laterally displaced, the machine is partially intermittently advanced in an opposite direction along the displaced track, obliquely positioned ties of the displaced track are gripped by the tie engaging tong and oriented, and the ties are tamped.
Another track moving machine with rail engaging rollers has been disclosed in German Pat. No. 310,983, delivered Feb. 25, 1919. Three pairs of flanged rollers for engaging each rail are mounted on a frame and this frame is vertically adjustable on the machine frame by means of two manually operated threaded spindles. Two additional manually operated threaded spindles extending horizontally and transversely to the track enable the flanged rollers to be pivoted into engagement with the rails after the frame has been vertically adjusted to lift the track and to move the flanged rollers with the engaged rails a set distance whereby the lifted track is laterally displaced. The vertical and transverse adjustments can be effected only before the machine is advanced, the manual adjustments by spindle drives being very time-consuming and difficult due to the heavy weight of the track which must be vertically and laterally moved. Any change in the vertical and lateral adjustments can be made only if the forward movement of the machine is interrupted.
German Democratic Republic Pat. No. 100,510, delivered Sept. 20, 1973, discloses a device for orienting obliquely positioned ties in a movable track. This device is mounted on the machine frame of a track moving machine of the above-indicated type and comprises two vertically adjustable tie engaging rams having V-shaped points for engaging and pushing misoriented ties into substantially parallel alignment with each other. Hydraulic operating cylinders are used for vertically adjusting the rams and for pivoting them in the direction of the track. The tie orientation is effected while the track moving head is raised and engages the rails. The points of the tie engaging rams have the shape of a sword blade, the edges of the ram points enclosing a relatively large angle of about 80.degree., which makes penetration of the rams between two closely adjacent ties difficult. Since the rams are suspended like a pendulum, their points move along a circular path when the rams push the ties to orient them, the contact between the ram point and the tie moving upwardly, which causes friction that may damage the tie.
French Pat. No. 2,253,874, published July 4, 1975, also discloses a tie positioning device mounted on a machine frame between undercarriages supporting the machine frame on a track, which device comprises vertically adjustable clamps operable to grip the ties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,234, dated July 3, 1984, discloses a track leveling, lining and tamping machine capable of accurately positioning a track. This machine comprises a tamping head and a track lifting and lining device preceding the tamping head and linked to the machine frame between the two undercarriages supporting the machine frame for mobility on the track. The device comprises a carrier frame supporting lifting rollers and flanged wheels serving as lining tools, and power-actuated drives link the carrier frame to the machine frame for vertically and laterally adjusting the track lifting and lining device. The machine also carries a leveling and lining reference system controlling the power-actuated drives so that minor track position errors may be corrected in response to the reference system. The usual lining of existing tracks along their right-of-way involves lateral track displacements of about two to ten millimeters. After leveling, lining and tamping the track with such a machine, the track is accurately leveled and lined.
British Pat. No. 2,140,061, published November 21, 1984, discloses a similar track leveling, lining and tamping machine incorporating a track lifting and lining device with a vertically adjustable lifting hook instead of lifting rollers.